#Knitting & Hosiery

2025-12-03

Mayer & Cie. to shut down after failed search for investor – 270 jobs affected

Mayer&Cie. at ITMA 2023 © 2025 TexData International

Mayer & Cie., the long-established German manufacturer of circular knitting and braiding machines, will cease operations after its international search for an investor ended without success. The company, based in Albstadt-Tailfingen, had been undergoing insolvency proceedings in self-administration since its filing on 23 September 2025. As Schwarzwälder Bote reports, the insolvency court has now formally opened the proceedings, triggering the decision to wind down the business in an orderly process.

According to the report, “despite an intensive and international search, no investor could be found, making a structured shutdown of operations unavoidable.” Mayer & Cie. had launched a structured sales process as early as April 2024, later intensifying efforts with additional advisory support in mid-2025. None of the approaches to strategic or financial investors led to a takeover offer.

270 employees to lose their jobs

The shutdown will affect around 270 employees. Most of the workforce will be released from their duties by early February 2026 while the company works through its remaining order backlog. A small team will remain in place afterward to manage the liquidation of assets, including machinery, real estate, and inventories.

Speaking to Schwarzwälder Bote, restructuring expert Martin Mucha of Grub Brugger, who joined the company as general representative, said: “The market for textile machinery has become extremely challenging worldwide. Mayer & Cie. experienced a nearly 50 percent drop in revenue over the past year while costs continued to rise. Despite the most intensive global search, we were unable to find an investor willing to commit to this traditional company. Unfortunately, shutting down operations is now the unavoidable consequence.”

Global pressures and market disruption

Founded more than 120 years ago, Mayer & Cie. has been a key supplier of circular knitting and braiding machines, exporting almost its entire production worldwide. But the company has been heavily impacted by geopolitical and economic turbulence. As previously reported, trade tensions between the U.S. and China, the war in Ukraine, and inflationary pressure in key textile markets such as Türkiye have led to widespread investment restraint in the textile sector.

In addition, state-subsidized manufacturers from China have intensified competitive pressure by offering machinery at significantly lower prices on the global market.

With no viable option for restructuring and no investor willing to take over the business, the company’s management and insolvency advisors concluded that there is no path to continuation.

Huixing acquires insolvent Mayer & Cie.

Insolvency proceedings for the circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. were opened on December 1, 2025. Immediately following the opening of proceedings, the complete cessation of business operations was initiated. Most employees were subsequently given notice effective the end of February 2026. The production of the remaining orders in the circular knitting segment is expected to be completed by the end of the month. As early as December 2025, Mayer & Cie.’s braiding machine division was sold to an Italian investor.

Mayer & Cie. at ITMA Asia

Mayer & Cie. will participate in ITMA Asia from October 28 to 31, 2025, which takes place in Singapore. Visitors will find the manufacturer of circular knitting machines and braiding machines in Hall 5, Stand D 301. At its booth, the company will be showing a new circular knitting for jacquard fabrics - the OVJA 2.4 EC II - and will provide an overview of its digital and smart solutions. Another focus is on the machines of Mayer & Cie's "Performance Line": circular knitting machines, which are the most efficient solution in their respective classes.

Mayer & Cie. expands its braiding portfolio again

At the end of July 2025, the Albstadt-based braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. delivered its first MR-15 braiding machine with 48 carriers. An MR-11 system, also equipped with 48 coil carriers, left the plant before Christmas 2024 and has since reached the customer. The business unit has been part of the headquarters in Albstadt since 2019. Ongoing development has enabled Mayer & Cie. braiding to solidify its market position while evolving from a “little brother” into a key pillar of the company.

KARL MAYER at JEC: Multiaxial reinforced CFRP pultrusion profiles are picking up speed in the mobility sector

KARL MAYER Technical Textiles will be showcasing exciting new application potentials for multiaxial non-crimp fabrics in combination with the pultrusion process at the upcoming JEC in Hall 5, Booth C 46. The advancement of the tried-and-tested pultrusion process enables the cost-efficient production of complex CFRP multi-chamber profiles, which are used in the CETROVO high-speed metro. The world's first carbon-intensive lightweight rail vehicle of this type is designed for speeds of up to 140 km/h.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at GMMSA Expo India

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Indian sales representative Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services, Ltd., will participate in the upcoming Garments Machinery Manufacturers & Suppliers Association (GMMSA) Expo India 2026 exhibition to be held in Ludhiana, India next month. Through its lineup at GMMSA, SHIMA SEIKI aims to further strengthen its presence within the Indian market with an exhibit that caters to diverse needs, consisting of seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as well as a brand-new shaping machine with high productivity and excellent cost performance.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

Itema America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based Itema Group, has acquired – through an Assets Purchase Agreement – Palmetto Loom Reed, a Greenville, South Carolina-based manufacturer of weaving reeds and one of the last remaining domestic producers of these precision components in the United States.

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company based in France, announces the site selection for an industrial sized Regeneration Hub, in Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Induslacq platform. Reju, a Technip Energies owned company, is deepening its roots in France through the development of this new Regeneration Hub.

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) has unveiled Unrestricted Power™, a new innovation platform engineered for heavy lifts and demanding gym sessions. The assortment, which launches in North America, is backed by thousands of hours of research and development, providing secure support without compromising comfort and mobility, enabling a distraction-free fit built to match every move.